Love at first bite

So, on my little whirlwind trip to DC there were a few places that I for sure had to go. One of them was Potbelly’s. Bekah ate there once a week when she lived there. She loved all the food, especially the ice cream sandwiches. I didn’t get there the last time I was in the area, so, Saturday afternoon while I was wondering around downtown D.C. with no particular destination in mind, (One of my favorite ways to travel.) I wondered to Potbelly’s to order an ice cream sandwich. The whole atmosphere of the place is fun and antique looking. A little bit like The Cracker Barrel but smaller. As I watched them make the treat, I knew that my life would never be the same after one bite. They take two of their soft, loaded with chocolate chips, “homemade” cookies and stick a scoop of vanilla ice cream in the middle. My eyes got wide and I started salivating. And yes, after one bite I was in love. Chocolate chip cookies are my weakness anyway and adding ice cream to it…it was hopeless.
I realize that it would be hazardous to my health to live so close to such goodness. But after I finished the divine delicacy I began thinking that in spite of all losses that a move to DC would involve (family, friends, etc) that sandwich could make the move worth it. My lip popped out at the realization that the closest Potbelly’s to Utah is in Texas. Why hasn’t anyone opened one in Utah. Don’t they realize…? They obviously have no idea what they are missing out on. The prices are really very reasonable. I was surprised at how cheap it was for being in downtown DC. (Kitty korner from the White House.)
The fates smiled on me again on Sunday afternoon when I was facing spending the next 8 hours of my life on two planes, that don’t feed me, and a layover in Atlanta. I know that some people frown upon making purchases on Sunday, but I needed to eat. So I wondered around the airport browsing my options when I came upon none else but a Potbelly’s. Right there in the same airport I was departing. It was fate and I couldn’t resist a sandwich and another heaven sent ice cream sandwich. 
I could to go their website and check out the calorie damage, but with some things ignorance is bliss. And this is definitely one of those things. So if you are ever in the DC area there are many important places you don’t want to miss, such as the Lincoln Memorial, the American History Museum, the Holocaust Museum, and Potbelly’s. 
Beijos

Look at this Picture...

What do you see wrong with this picture? Here look closer...

If your answer is there is no clock above the refrigerator. Then you are right. You might not have noticed that because you didn't know that you are suppose to have a clock above the refrigerator because you haven't had a clock above the refrigerator your entire life. And you probably don't keep looking to the top of the refrigerator to find out what time it is, or find out how many minutes you have before you have to run out the door. And so you probably don't feel as lost as I do when you look to the top of the fridge to find out what time it is and the clock that has been there your whole life is not there.

This is my mom's new refrigerator complete with ice maker and water dispenser, and it fits just perfectly into the nook in the wall. However there is no room for the clock on top of it. 

Mr. D'Arcy (not the Austen icon)

I work for Mr. D’Arcy (yes, pronounced like the Jane Austen dream boat). I actually don’t know a lot about him as far as his personal life goes. He is an older man who has had a lot of experience. And because of his experience he is very intelligent and sensible, and I would say one of the wisest business men I’ve known. One of the best qualities I’ve observed is his ability look at situations and come up with solutions that work in a win-win fashion. He has a quiet corky sense of humor. He is a bit old-fashioned and he's tries hard to adapt to the technology age and make friends with his computer. I silently laugh to myself when I go into his office and find him with his two fingers punching an email.  He works hard and diligently, and when he’s done he leaves work at work and doesn’t take it home with him. I’ve never met his wife, but I’ve talked to her on the phone and she sounds like a sweet heart.

He is from Chicago (I’m pretty sure.) And he isn’t a member of the church. I’m not sure what brought him to work in Utah 20 years ago. And I am not sure what exposure or experience he has had with the church beyond living here and working with members. His office is on the NW corner of the Zions Bank Building and his window faces straight towards the temple. Today I was in his office watching the rain (which is awesome) and I started wondering what an intelligent man like him would think about that stunning building across the street. Is he ever curious about what is inside? Or the significance? Has he ever asked? I know he has asked other questions, like about the leadership of the church. But that is all I’ve heard.

Maybe sometime the opportunity will come up to discuss more…

Time marches on

Today during my lunch break I was sitting Deseret Book with a couple books in my hands telling myself the reasons why I should not buy them, when someone came up to and "asked are you Sarah?" I looked up and saw someone that I used to know quite well. Sarah. She was a women who was in a lot of my classes my last few semesters at BYUI, but I had not talked to since I graduated. We had worked on group projects together. Hiked through the Tetons together and we even worked together planning and running a mountain bike race. She is a really great person and I enjoyed her a lot. The last time I saw her she was 5 or 6 months pregnant with her first child. Today I saw her and she had a kid and another baby. Right away in my head I started doing to math trying to figure out how long it had been since I saw her. It seemed like there was no way that she could have had time to have a toddler and another baby. “Wow, you’ve been busy.”-was on the tip of my tongue, still baffled, and wondering what the heck I had been up to in the time that has passed. I guess there have been a few things that I have been up to and have kept me busy too, although they don’t seem to compare with having two kids! But I like to think my last 2 ½ years have not been a waste. I may not be where I had planned…Actually, I don’t think I really had a plan. I had a few areas I wanted to pursue, which haven’t exactly worked the way I would’ve liked. But I’m not done yet. I am still pursuing. I am busy.

I should announce I am officially in graduate school. (I missed good news moment in RS.) I was accepted to the BYU EMPA program, stands for Executive Masters in Public Administration. The classes are at night at the BYU Salt Lake Center—A bitter-sweet thing. Sweet because I can work and go to school at the same time and I don’t have to depend on student loans and the classes are just down the street from where I work. Bitter, because I don’t have a good excuse to quit my job. I know am I lucky to have a good job. And I am very grateful. But this is really not where I want to end up. And I don’t feel like it is helping me progress any closer to where I would like to end up except for financially; but as far as knowledge, skills, and enjoyment go. NO. So, I pray that something will come along that will be a better fit for me and help me get to where I really want to be.  In the mean time I’ll hang in there. Keep busy. Do the best I can. Enjoy what I can. Keep going.  

I love May...

And now its over. There are some many good things about May. Spring. Sunshine. Flowers. Memorial Day. May is also

• Date Your Mate Month
• National Barbecue Month
• National Bike Month
• National Blood Pressure Month
• National Hamburger Month
• National Photograph Month
• National Recommitment Month
• National Salad Month
• Older Americans Month

And a few other highlights...

1 May Day, Loyalty Day, Mother Goose Day, 2 Brothers and Sisters Day. 3 Lumpy Rug Day, World Press Freedom Day, 4 Hannah's Birthday. 4 Renewal Day 5 Cinco de Mayo 6 No Diet Day 8 Iris  Day 7 National Tourism Day-yup like this one. 8 No Socks Day, V-E Day, 9 Lost Sock Memorial Day 10 Clean up Your Room Day 11 Eat What You Want Day, Twilight Zone Day 12 Fatigue Syndrome Day,  Limerick Day 13 Frog Jumping Day, Leprechaun Day 14 Dance Like a Chicken Day 15 National Bike to Work Day - third Friday of month, National Chocolate Chip Day 16 Love a Tree Day, My Birthday, Wear Purple for Peace Day 17 Pack Rat Day. 18 International Museum Day, No Dirty Dishes Day, Visit Your Relatives Day 20 Be a Millionaire Day - now we all can go for that, 20 Pick Strawberries Day 21 National Memo Day 22 Buy a Musical Instrument Day Cori's birthday. 23 International Jazz Day - Saturday of Memorial Day weekend.  Lucky Penny Day 25 Tap Dance Day 26 Sally Ride Day 27 Sun Screen Day 30 Water a Flower Day

Benjamin and I swinging away. At our family memorial birthday BBQ.